A/N: So finally. It's 20th chapter now. I have had alot freetime lately, and therefore here's new chapter already.
And again, my mother tongue isn't English. Inform me about any major mistakes if there is.
"Thoughts"
"Zangetsu"
"Hollow"
Someone asked me, will there be any IchiRuki in future. I can't say anything about that. I don't usually write any romance... I am... I am not a romance writer really. Is there other people who has been waiting pairings? Please tell me.
War after the war: Chapter 20
Ichigo only loitered behind them while they finished their shopping. It was amazing how much he eased their round even if he just… stood there. People avoided their group, always letting them to counter first.
"How nice people are today! It's glad to see how kindness isn't totally gone in these days!" Molly said, a lot happier than before. Harry didn't think that was the cause. Observing the situation, he realized it was Ichigo's intimidating aura and black clothes what made people wary. Others, and even Soul Reaper himself didn't notice that.
"…So are you ready?" Ichigo asked when they finally headed towards Leaky Cauldron. Arthur stopped in his tracks and faced him, somewhat shamefully: "Oh yes! I am sorry for this, you can go to your meeting now!" he apologized, ears getting red: "Truthfully, I forgot you were still with us…"
"No problem. It's my job, isn't it?" Ichigo snorted: "I guess you can get back to the Burrow alive without me."
"Yeah… Don't burn yourself out!" Hermione yelled to him when he made his leave: "And see you at the wedding!"
Ichigo waved his hand to show he had heard her before disappearing back to Knockturn Alley.
"What is he doing in there anyways…?" Arthur thought out loud when they stepped back to Leaky Cauldron.
When Ichigo got back to Knockturn Alley, he took a deep breath and almost threw up. He just passed an old woman who seemed to sell… Fingernails? Who sells fingernails for god's sake? "Would you like a sample?" she turned to look at him with her edentulous smile.
"Erm… No thank you." he grimaced and quickly moved on. He cleared his throat, striding quickly through alleys. He got several quick glances towards him as he passed shady people, but ignored them. Well, he had no right to tell who was shady and who wasn't, since most likely he was the most threatening person around here right now.
Silently hoping that he wouldn't meet any real Death Eaters around, Ichigo stopped in the front of small shop. You wouldn't even think it as a shop if you didn't know about it. Windows were painted black, and door didn't have any sign on it. On the top of wall was old, worn, barely readable text: "Silent Sword". Fidgeting nervously, he stood there few moments before going in. "Huh, who would have guessed that places like this existed?"
He almost tripped before realizing that right behind door was long and very steep stairs. They looked like they were made from rough concrete, and next to them was muggle-like red handrail. It amused Ichigo, who didn't expect to see something like this in Wizarding alley.
"It looks very promising", Shiro sounded hopeful.
"It does indeed. Hmm, I must say that I was skeptical when Kisuke told us."
"You are not the only one"Zangetsu admitted: "It still sounds absurd."
"But if he's right, we have to pass our gratitude to him. Those god damn "researchers" couldn't do anything after all, and time is running out…"
"Those bastards! I'll rip their guts out next time!" Shiro scoffed: "I can't believe they were going to seal me!"
"True, but did we ever explain them precisely what we wanted? All they heard was that I have a problem with my hollow and I want to get rid of him… What else could we expect?"
"…Point taken. Oh god, why is King so stupid, if you just had explained it better…"
"Let's pretend I didn't hear that one." Ichigo said out loud when he reached end of the stairs.
"What did you say?" he heard a grunt next to him and suddenly big arm blocked his way. Ichigo turned slowly to look at direction where it came from, and had to lift his gaze. "Woah, huge."
Bouncer. A huge Bouncer.
"Members only." giant grunted.
"Oh, really?" Ichigo though a while: "Is this enough for membership?" he lifted his robe and got nod as an answer.
"Welcome." giant growled and let Soul Reaper to enter. When he passed the bouncer, it mumbled: "God, where these lunatics come from? This one was talking to himself as well…"
Ichigo sweat dropped, deciding to ignore giant. He walked to desk before letting his eyes wander around. There were quite a few members around. They all were dressed in black, and had this same mysterious aura around them. Faint, red light brightened the room through tinted windows on ceiling.
"They wouldn't be so calm if they just knew who I am…"
Ichigo turned around to face bartender: "I need to get to backroom." when nothing happened he lift his hood and glared him: "Now."
Bartender stared him a moment before gesturing Ichigo to follow him. He put his hood back on and went through a wooden door the barkeeper had unlocked for him. When he was inside, he heard how door was locked behind him and it became completely dark. Ichigo started feeling jumpy, before realizing there was dim lights hanging from roof. They were just so dirty, that it took a while for eyes to adjust to darkness.
He blinked few times and started walking forwards in long hallway. Lights had red tint, and made shadows even darker.
"I like his style!" Shiro commented in his head.
"I think it's more like red lights district…" Ichigo snorted. When corridor started to seem endless, he arrived in small office. It had brighter lights what blinded him.
"Hmm? What's your business in here?" deep voice asked behind the table.
"Though this seemed promising, I suddenly started to have doubts, King." Shiro gasped and Ichigo felt his worried frown.
"Really…"
Man, who they were supposed to meet was nothing they had imagined.
"But where's my manners! Take a seat before we can start!" he pointed a chair for Ichigo who gladly took it. Man shook off ashes from his cigar and blew smokes straight to Ichigo's face. He had brown, curly hair and beard, but he was balding. He looked down his huge nose at young man in the front of him.
"So", Ichigo cleared his throat: "You are Kisuke's contact around here?"
"I would prefer 'associate'", man narrowed his eyes: "You can call me Dave. So what can I do for you?" he noticed how this Soul Reaper used Urahara's first name, so they must know each other pretty well.
"My name is Ichigo Kurosaki, and there's a problem."
Ichigo missed it, but Dave's cigar slipped a bit and his eyes glinted at recognition of name. He put his cigar on ashtray: "All right. What's this all about?"
"Well… There's…" Ichigo's eyes widened at sudden presence behind him. Before he could react, someone hit his neck, paralyzing him completely.
He was lifted in midair, and Ichigo realized that it had to be that huge bouncer behind him. Dave stood up and walked in the front of him: "Well, well. Why don't we go to see others?"
Ichigo frowned, not understanding what was going on.
"What the hell?" Shiro spat: "Why are they doing this? I am going to kill Kisuke!"
"You can't go around killing everyone! Remember? Talk like that and I forget our plan! This must be some kind of misunderstanding…"
"I hope so… For them."
Ichigo was dragged back to the pub, Dave following behind. Everyone in the bar turned to look at them. There was around from ten to twenty eye pairs staring at them. It had become entirely silent. Dave walked forward.
"Let me introduce you, Ichigo Kurosaki." he pointed at Ichigo who had gotten feeling back to his legs and was struggling against bouncer.
"Captain of the 2nd division of the Spiritual Government of the Britain."
Ichigo stopped wriggling when temperature in room dropped few degrees. "Oh shit."
Harry was frustrated about the fact that Hermione and Ron weren't as interested as him about Malfoy's doings. He, in other hand, was sure that Malfoy had something to do with Voldemort. It was so obvious! He didn't want to show his arm to Madam Malkin, and he had something on it what scared Borgin!
"But Harry… he is sixteen years old…" Hermione frowned when he had told her about his idea: "I don't think that he would hire someone that young…"
Fortunately, Harry got something else to think about, but they weren't good news. Billy's and Fleur's wedding had been postponed. Even if preparations were almost done and all had been in vain, Mrs. Weasley was in good mood. Better mood than in last few weeks together.
"Oh! How horrible! I am going to take down the ornaments from yard. And notify guests that they won't be coming for nothing! What the shame…" she hummed and left to the yard. Ron frowned at his mother. "How could she be so happy?" when Harry shrugged, Hermione and Ginny just rolled their eyes.
They continued eating their breakfast, and in no time Mrs. Weasley came back inside. She had few ornaments in her hands and had worried look. "What's wrong, Molly?" Arthur asked but behind her came a person inside: "Sorry for the intrusion."
Arthur stood up dropping fork and knife: "Oh, hello Ichigo! What are you doing here?" everybody turned to look at the door and saw a mop of orange hair. When he looked at them, Harry saw black eye patch on the right eye. It was bigger than normal patch, and covered almost whole right half of his face.
"I heard that wedding was cancelled, so I came to visit."
"Yes," Arthur nodded: "They got sudden notice from France and they are making their leave."
"How unfortunate."
"Yes… It is…" Arthur glanced at Molly before continuing: "So what have you been doing lately? And take a seat, Molly can get you some tea."
Ichigo sat down, and when light hit his face, they noticed how weary he looked like. Though he was stuck in his twenties, Ichigo's tired eyes made him seem more like as old as he really was.
"Thanks, Molly", Ichigo took a sip from mug she gave him: "There have been a lot organizing before semester starts. You don't even realize how much we need to prepare before students come back to school."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked.
"Well of course your own security spells help, but the fact is, that there's over thousand spiritually aware beings under one roof." he explained: "It's like a buffet for hollows. We have been placing sekkiseki stone around the castle for preventing reiatsu leaks."
"You have been doing what?" Ron frowned. Ichigo rolled his eye: "It's a stone type what drains spiritual pressure into itself. So, simply it prevents hollows to sense that place."
"But the major problem is", he continued before anyone cut him: "That this time Voldemort is most likely sending hollows there."
"What!" Harry gasped: "How he…"
"I don't know." Ichigo locked his eye with Harry: "We don't know. Why do you think I have been gone for whole summer? Not on holiday, no."
Harry flinched at harsh tone and he wasn't the only one. Soul Reaper rubbed his forehead: "Sorry. My temper has been worse than normally… I didn't mean to snap."
"Oh god. This sucks. Even if this… patch stopped the progress, it seems to have some kind of side effect."
"Che. Though we managed to find out the problem, it's those bastards who can't do their jobs!"
"Shiro, try to understand that researchers are doing all they can. They are not like Kisuke or Mayor who are geniuses."
"Zangetsu is right. We just have to manage."
"But we always have to 'manage'! Why things never go like they should?"
"So… What's wrong with your eye?" Hermione finally asked, very carefully. Ichigo lift his gaze and saw how eager they were to know. All eye pairs in the room were nailed at him.
"It's just temporary. Let's just say that I will never ever promise to be Research Department's guinea pig again."
"I didn't practically lie…"
"Close one."
"Oh…" Hermione leaned back. If Ichigo knew her at all, she would persuade him so long that he would tell what had happened.
Sighing deeply, Ichigo managed to get a smile on his face. Or something what distantly resembled a smile. Drinking rest of his tea, he stood up: "All right. We will most likely see in train then." he looked at Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny: "Arthur, I hope you and Molly keep safe, and send my best regards to Billy and Fleur. Shame I couldn't meet them this time."
When Arthur was going to answer they heard a ring. Harry was the only one who recognized it as a phone's ringtone.
Ichigo searched his pockets and pulled out a normal clamshell phone. He flipped it open and answered in Japanese: "Moshi moshi?"
Others watched as he continued speaking Japanese, seeming a lot happier than few moments ago. When he finished the call, Arthur's eyes sparkled from curiosity: "That is a phone, isn't it? A mobile phone if I'm exact!" Ichigo gave him a brief nod and he continued: "Really? Phones shouldn't work when there's so much magic in the air! How does it work? Can I disassemble it? I swear that I will put it back together!"
Ichigo was so confused that he had frozen in his tracks and just stared him. "Wait, what?"
Arthur got frustrated and scoffed. Others glanced at each other and spurted laughing at stunned Ichigo and frowning Mr. Weasley.
Couple days passed, and it finally was time to get back to Hogwarts. At the train station, they said good byes, but Mrs. Weasley ran aft
er the train still yelling warnings. She gave up when train disappeared behind the corner.
Ron and Hermione had to leave to do their prefect work, and Ginny went to see Dean. That left Harry with Luna and Neville. Three of them sat in one department, and soon Ron and Hermione joined them. Ron told how Malfoy had abandoned his Prefect work, and only sat with other Slytherins. Harry got even more suspicious about his actions. Why would he want abandon something he liked? Malfoy loved bullying younger students.
Suddenly department's door opened, and breathless third year student came in. She had two paper scrolls in her hands: "I-I was told to bring these to Neville Longbottom a-and Harry P-Potter." she stuttered and left as quickly as she came.
"What is it?" Ron asked when Harry opened the scroll: "It's an invitation."
"Harry, I would love to have a dinner with you at department C. Yours, Professor Horace Slughorn."
"Who's Horace Slughorn?" Neville asked.
"New teacher. We probably need to go." Harry said and Neville started fidgeting like they were going to detention: "But why? Why me?"
"I have no idea."
Ichigo, who had comfortably travelled alone in teacher's department, heard how door opened. He turned and saw young girl, who anxiously gave a scroll for him. Ichigo lifted a questioning brow and girl gulped: "Professor Slughorn t-told me to give this to you." she curtsied and ran out.
Curiously Ichigo rolled scroll open and coughed. He had been invited to join a dinner… with students and Slughorn. "What the fuck?" Ichigo said out loud. He had to read message again. "What does this mean? Why is he on the train? I personally escorted him straight to Hogwarts! And why he wants me there?"
"He seemed to be interested in you." Zangetsu said: "I think that he is trying to pry some more information from you."
Ichigo groaned. He hated dinners like this. And on top of that there was a persistent man who will try to reveal his secrets. Not good.
Slowly, Ichigo stood up and straightened his robe. "I would have welcomed even a small nap. Is that too much?" he left the department. "So, where's the department C exactly?" thinking and walking through the train, he noticed curious glances he got. Well, he had gotten pretty bad reputation last year. When he started to think that he had passed right door, he heard Horace's voice: "Oh yes, oh yes. There was a lot rumors…!"
"Great. I bet that he's talking about the Prophet."
He knocked the door and opened it. He saw seven eye pairs staring at him. There was at least one Slytherin, Ginny, Harry, Neville and couple others he didn't recognize. And of course Horace, but he didn't recognize him. "You called me?" Ichigo asked, leaning to doorway. Slughorn blinked few times before breathing: "Kurosaki Ichigo! Yes!" his eyes wandered to Ichigo's orange hair and then eye patch.
"What did you need?" Ichigo asked, crossing his arms.
"W-what? Ah! I just thought that since we are fellow colleagues here, I was thinking that we should get to know each other."
Ichigo just stood there, boringly watching as Horace started sharing some kind of cookies for kids. When he was giving one to Ichigo as well, he just lift an eyebrow. Horace kept it in the front of his nose for a moment and then gave up. "Not fond of sweets?" he turned away and Ichigo frowned at Harry, Ginny and Neville who were trying to keep a poker face.
"Ah, but that reminds me. I remember how dear Gwenog told me once…." Horace started recalling old events. Ichigo dangled his head down. "This is going to take forever…"
Finally after many, many hours, Professor Slughorn realized how dark it had become: "Oh my! It's already evening. It's better you to go back to get your stuff before arriving." he watched as students made their leave and called out Ichigo who tried to disappear along others: "Mister Kurosaki. I would like a word with you. Is that okay?"
"Yes… it is fine." Ichigo halted and smiled, groaning mentally.
"What is it?" he asked closing the department's door. Older man cleared his throat, carefully observing Soul Reaper: "Don't be so uptight. I'm just interested, who are you really? I mean in the old times, Albus didn't have connections in Japan."
Ichigo looked at him with his only eye, making Slughorn uncomfortable. Easily skipping the question, Ichigo asked a question what had been bugging him a while: "How are you in the train? I escorted you to Hogwarts some time ago."
Horace startled first, but then scoffed: "I wanted to meet few students since there are so interesting individuals. What's better place than this?"
Ichigo gave him a disapproval grunt. All that work for nothing.
"Fine. And you wanted to know how I know Dumbledore?" he waved his hands: "Well, I happened to be in England, and then Dumbledore got interested about my job and hired me." he wasn't lying, but then, he didn't need to tell the truth. Ichigo started to get annoyed with the old man, though he was clever and Ichigo valued traits like that.
"I see…" Horace narrowed his eyes: "I will keep contact with you. It was nice to talk tonight."
"Yes, let's continue this later", Soul Reaper bowed almost mockingly: "I will go to check my own belongings, and see you at the ceremony." Horace agreed and Ichigo left quickly before he got other 'stories' to tell. Oh god, how he could make everything sound so boring?
Ichigo left the department, scowling so hardly that it scared some students. "My nap… My precious nap gone just because that…"
"You are starting to sound a bit psychotic, King… I swear we will get our nap after all this."Shiro gulped.
Hope you like it.
I am tired with all stressing about everything going on right now, so I really apologize about any major flaws if there's any. I tried to check this many times before posting so hopefully there's nothing.
And please, tell me about any pairing possibilities if you have thought about any. It would be nice to hear about it. Never really given thought for it before.
There was few people (or more) interested about what Ichigo was hiding. What is he hiding? What was the place he visited?
Sorry for all cliffhangers, but that's just my style to write. Hopefully you stick with me to next chapter as well!